Automatic trip-brake.



1 No. 721,503. A PATBNTED "P BB. 24,1903.

' E. L. ORIDGE.

AUTOMATIC. TRIP BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

EDMUND LOMAX CRIDGE, OF PASSAIO, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC TRl P-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,503, dated February 24,1903.

Application filed April 23, 1902.

' To all whom it may concern:

' danger-signal.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation showing my invention as applied to a railway. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the sain e, somewhat enlarged; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tripping mechanism, also somewhat enlarged. v

Immediately adjacent to the rails l of the track are mounted bearings-.2 3, on which is a rockingbracket 4, provided with arms 5 6, the arm'6 carrying a weight 7. The bracket is also provided with an arm 8, having a shoe 9. The arms 6 and 8 are integral-and practically constitute a bell-crank. By means of links 10 11 the arms 5 and dare connected at the pivotal points 12 13 with the longitudinal sliding rods 14 15, these rods being connect: ed with appropriate signals in the usual manner. A bell-crank 16 is pivotally mounted-at 17 and is connected with a vertical rod 18, this red in turn being connectedwith the semaphore-arm 19. The trucks of the railway-car are shown at 20 21. A tube 22, extending downward from the car, is provided with braces 23 and the collar 24. The lower end of this tube is providedwith-a valve 25,

which is actuated by the radially-movable lever 26 and is also provided with an air-dis charge 27. The tube 22 is connected with the train-pipe 29, which is supported upon the vehicle 28 and connected with, air-brakes in the usual manner.

The operation of my device is asfollows: When the trip mechanism is set in the position indicated in Fig. 3, the weight 7 being Serial No. 104,289. (No model.)

.zontal, the arms 5 and 8 then being vertical.

When the apparatus is in this position, the shoe 9 obstructs the path of thelever 26. When'the bracket4 is arranged in the position to accomplish this result, the semaphore-arm l9, actuated by means of the rod 14, the bellcrank 16, and rod 18, assumesa horizontal p0 sition, indicating danger. If the engineer heeds the signal and stops his train, all is well; but if he fails to heed the same and his train still moves ahead the lever '26 encounters the shoe 9 and is thereby moved radially, so that the valve 25 is opened and the compressed air in the train-pipe escapes through the aperture :27, thus-applying the brakes and stopping the train. The weight 7 when lowered to its position of greatest stability, as indicated in Fig. 1, tends to maintain the semaphore-arm 19 in a horizontal position, indicating danger, the idea being that any uncertainty of position has a tendency to cause the weight 8 to descend, and thus to flag the train. The weight also tends to maintain the shoe 9 in the path of the lever 26 as against any accidental cause tending to disturb the position of the shoe before the arrival of the train.

When the apparatus is in the position indicated in Fig. 3, the semaphorearm 19 is of course inclined at an angle to the horizon,

thus indicating safety.

It will thus be observed that I have produced an efficient device for preventing railway collisions.

I do not deem it necessary to describe airbrakes and the train-pipe for operating the 9 same, as these partsare old andwell'known.

Suffice it to say that in practically all forms of rolling-stock in which air-brakes are employed the brakes are automatically applied when the air from the train-pipe is allowed to escape.

Having thus described 'my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- An automatic trip-brake for railway-vehicles, comprising a tube mounted upon a car and connected with a train-pipe thereon, a valve connected with said tube and free to open and close the same, a radially-movable lever connected with said valve for operating the same,abell-crank lever pivotally mounted adjacent to the railway-track, one arm of said bell-crank lever being provided with a shoe movable into and out of the path of said lever, and the other arm being provided with a weight for preventing the accidental displacement of said shoe from said path of said lever, links pivotally connected with the ends of said lever, and slide-rods connected with said links for the purpose of actuating the semaphore-signals, the arrangement being such that when said shoe obstructs the path of said lever, said Weight tends to maintain said semaphore-signals in predetermined positions, indicating danger.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDMUND LOMAX CRIDGE.

Witnesses:

ALBARD VAN RIPER, JOHN V. FOLKESSON. 

